Solutions for a fair and secure electricity grid

15 October 2025

The energy transition is putting increasing pressure on our electricity grid. How can we ensure that solar power, electric vehicles and local energy communities operate reliably and fairly? Five PhD researchers from the University of Twente have developed innovative solutions for smart charging, energy storage and cybersecurity. Their work strengthens the future of the energy network - from the charging station at an office to the protection of entire grid systems. All five defended their PhDs within the same month.

Their research tackles challenges at different levels, from individual electric vehicles to the entire power grid. The PhD candidates tested their ideas in practice with companies and partner universities. "That makes their work directly applicable," says supervisor Gerwin Hoogsteen. "Together, they’re making sure the energy transition works for everyone."

Smart charging for electric vehicles

With the growing number of electric vehicles worldwide, the risk of overloading the grid is increasing. "That can already happen on a company car park," explains Leoni Winschermann. "If everyone wants to charge at the same time, it can overload the local network."

She developed algorithms that distribute charging capacity fairly and efficiently, ensuring everyone gets enough energy to drive home without overloading the grid. "What I like," says Winschermann, "is that with mathematics you can not only make the grid more stable, but also make the user experience fairer. And the same models can be applied to completely different problems."

Energy cooperatives and local communities

At neighbourhood level, new challenges are also emerging. More households are using electricity for heating and transport while generating their own solar power, which requires cooperation.

Bahman Ahmadi studied how residents can form local energy cooperatives. He developed systems that distribute locally generated energy fairly while reducing costs and emissions. "In communities like the ’Aardehuizen’ in Olst, you can see how people gain more control over their energy use and become more aware of their consumption," he explains.

His colleague Edmund Schaefer looked at how a neighbourhood can use a shared battery to make smarter use of solar energy. He designed tools to determine the optimal size and operation of such a battery. "Energy cooperatives need to be truly future-proof," he says. "With the right technology, they can benefit from new energy legislation and prepare for the end of the net-metering scheme."

Together with Saxion University of Applied Sciences and European partners, Ahmadi and Schaefer developed practical solutions to make energy communities stronger and fairer.

Solar panels and overvoltage

It’s not only neighbourhoods but also the existing electricity networks themselves that are reaching their limits. The rapid rise of solar energy is creating new challenges. When more power is generated than consumed locally, voltage in the grid can rise too high.

Aswin Vadavathi developed methods to balance voltage levels more effectively by distributing loads fairly. "At the moment, households at the end of the street are hit hardest," he says. "Their solar panels have to reduce output more often, even though the problem is caused by the whole neighbourhood." His approach, Proportional Voltage Fairness (PVF), shares the responsibility evenly across all’users, reducing the loss of renewable energy. "For me, the solution had to work not only technically, but also be transparent and fair," says Vadavathi.

Cybersecurity for smart grids

The energy transition is making our grid smarter - but also more vulnerable. Smart meters, local energy systems and digital control increase the risk of cyberattacks.

Verena Menzel developed a system that can detect attacks at an early stage by combining insights from computer science and electrical engineering. "Most security systems focus either on IT or on the power grid," she explains. "I tried to bring those two worlds together, so we can detect attacks that would otherwise remain invisible."

She tested her intrusion detection system through simulations and real data, proving it to be reliable and scalable. "It’s rewarding to know that my work can contribute to something tangible: keeping the lights on in a world where cyber threats are growing."

Building the energy future together

What connects these five studies is their focus on fairness, reliability and applicability. From the car park at an office to the safety of a national grid, their solutions reinforce each other.

The PhD researchers collaborated with companies, municipalities and international universities, testing their ideas in real-world conditions. In doing so, they show how science is rooted in society. "The great thing is that each study adds a piece to the puzzle," say supervisors Johann Hurink and Gerwin Hoogsteen. "Together, those pieces form a picture of what our future energy system could look like: smart, secure and fair - ready for a world where sustainable energy is the norm."